Game racket with resiliently supported net



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. FINKEL.

GAME ROCKET WITH RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED NET FIG. I

April 21, 1970 Filed Aug. 9, 1967 ATTORNEY April 21, 1970 H. FINKEL 3,507,494

GAME ROCKET WITH RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED NET Filed Aug. 9. 1967 2 Sheets-sheaf. 2

INVENTOR HARRY FINK EL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,507,494 GAME RACKET WITH RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED NET Harry Finkel, 208 Appleton St., Holyoke, Mass. 10140 Filed Aug. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 659,527 Int. Cl. A63l1 59/00, 67/18 U.S. Cl. 27367 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Game apparatus including a racket having an open frame of rectangular configuration with a hand-engaging member disposed in one corner thereof. The net of the racket has interconnected strands which are engaged by resilient bands. The resilient bands are in turn received on hooks which engage the frame. A projectile for use with the racket includes a base having a socket which receives a shuttlecock or feathered element.

This invention relates to an amusement device or game, and more particularly to an amusement device which consists of a playing piece that has interchangeable parts and there is also provided a member that is adapted to be used for propelling or engaging the playing piece in the desired manner.

An object of the present invention is to provide an amusement and exercise device which can be played by one or more players in one or more locations, wherein no court is needed, and wherein with the present invention various or different types of games can be played such as badminton, baseball, sidewall tennis, hand ball, volley ball or the like, and wherein the present invention will provide amusement and recreation to the users and spectators or participants.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a game device which can be used with equal effectiveness by an individual, by one person competing against another, and by a group or team of players competing against another team of players.

Another object is to provide an amusement or game device which is adapted to provide a healthy and pleasant source of recreation for the participants and wherein the present invention is adapted to be used or played in a safe manner without hazard.

Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a device of the character described that is economical to produce, durable in form, and conducive to the most economical use of materials and uniformity of members formed therefrom.

Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from the description in the specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustrating certain constructional details of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing one use of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of a modified playing piece.

FIG. 6 is a view generally similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating a further modification with parts broken away and in section for clarity of illustration.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 14 of the drawings, the numeral 20 indicates a racket or propelling member which includes a rectangular open frame 21 that may have a hollow tubular "ice formation and which may include end or side portions 22, FIG. 1. A body member 23 is affixed to one corner of the frame 21, and the frame 21 may be made of a suitable material such as metal while the body member 23 may be made of a suitable material such as plastic. The body member 23 may include generally triangular-shaped projecting portions or shoulders 24 which help provide a hand-gripping portion, and the body member 23 further includes a flat section 25 as well as a rounded inner section 26 which is adapted to have enlarged spaced parallel arcuate ribs 27 thereon, and ribs 27 are arranged on the enlarged rounded portion 28.

The numeral 29 indicates each of a plurality of spaced apart hooks which are arranged in engagement with the portions 22, and the hooks 29 are adapted to be made of a suitable material such as metal, and the hooks 29 include arcuate or curved sections 30 as well as bent keeper portions 31 which have resilient or rubber bands 23 arranged in engagement therewith. There is further provided a net 33 which consists of a plurality of strands 34 that are arranged in criss-cross fashion and which are adapted to be fastened together at their junctions 35, and portions of the strands 34 are connected to the resilient bands 32 as shown in the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 4, the numeral 36 indicates a playing piece which may be a rubber ball, and the numeral 37 indicates a player or boy shown using the present invention.

Attention is now directed to FIG. 5 of the drawings wherein the numeral 38 indicates a modified playing piece which consists of a shuttlecock 39 having a stem 40 integral therewith for detachably receiving a holder or receiving portion 42 of a base 41. The base preferably is constructed of flexible material and may have a mass of yieldable or resilient material 43 therein.

In the modification of FIG. 6 there is illustrated a further modification of the playing piece which is indicated generally by the numeral 46 and wherein in FIG. 6 a stern member 44 has feathers 45 connected thereto, and the stem 44 has a reduced portion 47 which is adapted to be received in the holder or receiver 42. Replacement playing pieces may be merchandized or provided in a separate package as desired or required.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a game or amusement device, and in use the game of the present invention can be played or used in a plurality of different manners. It is to be noted that the game of the present invention includes the racket for striking or propelling member 20 as well as a suitable playing piece and wherein the playing piece may be a ball such as the rubber ball 36, the playing piece 38 or the playing piece 46 or other suitable types of playing pieces can be used.

The racket 20 includes the rectangular frame 21 which has the body member 23 thereon, and the body member 23 includes the enlarged curved portion 28 which has the shoulders 24 thereon, and formed integral with the body member 23 is the fiat section 25 as well as the inner curved section 26 which has the ribs 27 thereon. The body member 23 has a double purpose, namely, it provides a means of adjoining adjacent end portions of the frame 21 together, and in addition the body member 23 with the shoulders 24, and flat section 25 and ribs 27 provide a convenient hand grip to facilitate holding of the racket by the boy or other user. The shoulders 24 and ribs 27 assure that a firm grip can be obtained on the device so that the device can be held in the proper manner without slipping.

The frame 21 has the hooks 30 connected thereto, and the resilient bands 32 serve to connect the net 33 to the hooks 29. Thus, with the parts arranged as shown in the drawings a playing piece such as the ball 36 can be propelled from the net 33 in the desired manner, or instead of using the ball 36 the playing piece 38 can be propelled by the racket 20 or, if desired, a playing piece such as the playing piece 46 can be used with the present invention.

With further reference to the game pieces the base 41 is of the type that permits either the shuttlecock 39 to be used therewith or else the feathers 45 to be connected to the base 41. The base 41 has the mass of yieldable material 43 therein which coacts with the net 33 to assure that the playing piece will have the desired motion when struck or hit by the racket. The playing pieces of FIGS. and 6 includes detachable holding means, and in FIG. 5 this comprises a stem 40 integral with the shuttlecock 39 which is adapted to be snugly received in portion 42 that extends from the base 41. The device of FIG. 6 includes the feathers 45 connected to the stem 44 which has a portion 47 that is adapted to be selectively received in the portion 42 wherein the device of FIG. 6 is being used. The parts can be made of any suitable material or in different shapes or sizes.

The present invention is fun to use, provides fast action for onlookers or users, and the users can make up their own rules for playing different types of games with the present invention. For example, the present invention can be used by boys or girls in camps, in parks, on streets and in yards, and games such as Top In can be played wherein a ball is volleyed back and forth and wherein the present invention can be used by individual players or by teams, and various elements of coordination are utilized. Other games such as Five and Blast wherein several players chase one another and bounce the ball can be played or games such as Home Run Derby or Flies can be played as well as Hand Ball, Volley Ball, Sidewalk Tennis and the like can be played. No court is needed and the games can be played at any place. Also the games can be played by persons of different ages at different times of the year and wherein games will help increase motor ability and coordination. The games can be played in a variety of different ways and wherein an entire family can enjoy the fun with the device. Also, the device of the present invention can be used for catching high flies as well as for training boys to catch a ball and, in addition, a child can be taught to volley as well as to perform other actions.

Also, the present invention can be of considerable aid to boys who aspire to baseball inasmuch as the ball can be used to send out high flies a great distance and even an entire team can be sent out into the field with the flies sent out rapidly where each boy or participant knows the fly intended for him, and the game can also be used with a launching pad arrangement. In addition, as a tennis or badminton device the feathered shuttlecock can be used which tends to move slowly, and the feathered bird of FIG. 6 is a pleasureable device for playing outside the house in the backyard or in front of the house without the necessity of having a court or net.

Attention is directed to the racket 20 which includes the strands 34 that comprise the net 33, and these strands are adapted to be made of nylon and have a breaking point of about 52 pounds per unit strand. The chemistry of the rubber bands 32 is such as to permit the bands to take a severe blow without breaking. The hooks 29 that are used are of a structure or configuration so as not to readily elongate when a sizable force is imparted to them as for example when a ball is hit with impact by the racket. The frame or rack 21 is exceedingly strong and will withstand the weight of a person weighing as much as 200 pounds without the frame breaking.

It will now be clear that there is provided a device which accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth. While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it is to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a game, a racket including a rectangular open frame, a handle member affixed to one corner of said frame, and said member having triangular-shaped pointed projections thereon, and said body member further including an inner flat surface and a rounded inner section having a plurality of spaced apart curved ribs thereon, a plurality of spaced apart hooks connected to said frame, and each of said hooks comprising an arcuate section engaging said frame, said hooks further including keeper portions, resilient bands engaging said keeper portions and a meshlike net consisting of strands arranged in criss-cross relation with respect to each other, and strands disposed at the edges of said net being engaged by said bands in a manner such that the net is held in a taut, planar condition.

2. A game racket comprising a rectangular open frame having a hollow tubular formation and including spaced apart side portions and spaced apart end portions, a body member afllxed to one corner of said frame, said body member being provided with spaced apart triangular shaped pointed projections thereon providing hand gripping portions, said body member further embodying an inner flat surface and a rounded inner section provided with a plurality of spaced apart curved ribs thereon, a plurality of spaced apart hooks operatively connected to the side and end portions of said frame, each of said hooks embodying an arcuate section that is arranged in engagement with said frame, said hooks further comprising keeper portions, resilient bands arranged in engagement with said keeper portions, and a mesh-like net consisting of strands that are arranged in criss-cross relation with respect to each other, said strands being connected to said bands, and said strands being fastened together at their junctions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,012,730 8/1935 Reid. 5 2,652,966 9/1953 Griswold.

2,944,816 7/ 1960 Dixon. 3,048,399 8/ 1962 Breitbach 273-67 X 3,239,224 3/1966 Finn et a1. 3,341,201 9/1967 Ryan 27395 X GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

